Monday, 7 February 2011

NUJ complains over MoS's 'fake' Sunday Tribune

The National Consumer Agency in Ireland is considering taking action against Associated Newspapers over its marketing ploy of running a wrap around on the Irish Mail on Sunday looking like the front of the Sunday Tribune, which has suspended publication while in receivership.

The NUJ and the Sunday Tribune were among those who lodged complaints against the MoS.

The NCA’s director of commercial practices John Shine has told Séamus Dooley, Irish NUJ secretary, that the agency is “actively pursuing” his complaint and is considering taking enforcement action against the company for breach of the Consumer Protection Act, 2007.

Dooley condemned as "crass and cynical" the decision of the Irish Mail on Sunday to reproduce the Sunday Tribune masthead in Sunday’s edition in an attempt to attract Tribune readers.

The special edition, complete with Tribune masthead and layout, was distributed to newsagents with a request that it be displayed on newsstands in the place normally occupied by the Sunday Tribune, which was placed in receivership last week and is being advertised for sale.

The Irish Mail On Sunday said in a statement carried by RTE that its "marketing exercise," which involved the paper using a Sunday Tribune wrap around on its front cover, was to "persuade as many Tribune readers as possible to keep buying newspapers".

About Me

I am a freelance journalist based in the UK and was deputy editor of Press Gazette, the journalists' magazine, from 1993 until 2006. I want to give an independent view on media matters.
You can contact me with stories, ideas and comments by email at jon.slattery369@btinternet.com You can also follow me on Twitter @jonslattery